Information

[MOM2SNOX]

I'm all for Freedom of Speech but common sense says there's a time and a place for someone to voice their opinion... a funeral, where someone is burying a loved one, is NOT the place OR the time for protests. For those of you who would like to know more and have a Facebook account, click on the link here.

[megamay]

I agree! Im all for freedom of speech but those people are just WRONG. Not sure what the law should be but obviously something needs to be done. I just think it's sad that there needs to be a law for something like this, you would think people should just understand that.

[glo85cam]

It shouldn't be necessary because people should have enough respect to leave a family in peace while trying to bury their loved one. But unfortunately it seems that isn't the case.

[Flasher]

This story has infuriated me! I can't believe this country even needs a law for such a thing. But, it just goes to show the extent which people will go to hide behind free speech. One day these people are going to interfere with the wrong family . . . just sayin' . . .

[MLee]

There should never be a protest at a funeral - how incredibly horrible.

However, I do not think there should be a law to prevent them. If American begins making laws to curtail speech here and there, for whatever reason, then it becomes a slippery slope to curtail all of our freedoms. I know you cannot fathom their rights to protest at these funerals but it is their right.

But what I know? I didn't think name calling should be included in hate crimes - everything else yes - slurs, no. We have other laws against that, just as there are other laws that could be used and are used against these protesters, such as trespassing laws.

Americans today are becoming far too willing to give up their freedoms based on fear and dislike and too many brave and honorable men died so that those horrific people could do exactly what they're doing.

[Flasher]

I completely fathom that they have every right to do what they do. I can't wait for the day, and I know it's coming, where they pay the price for bullying and terrorizing grieving families. Turnabout is fair play and I CAN'T WAIT to see it happen.

[writerlady]

I think I agree with you. I read that article and it made me sad for the family and friends of the departed, and I was very angry at the rude and mean spirited protesters. One should have the right to bury their departed in peace.

[Flasher]

MLee, I forgot to add that I agree with you on curtailing freedoms and it being a slippery slope.

[gine]

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing , so is knowing when to use it. A funeral...military or not is not the right place.

[imwickedwitch]

I have some personal experience with this group. My young friend Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and left to die tied to a fence outside Laramie, Wy by two men in a hate crime because he was gay. I was in several theatre productions with Matt when I was in college and he was a Junior High School Student, and he was a smart, funny, loving young man. I remember thinking that if I ever had a son I would want him to be like Matt. When Matt was murdered, he was buried here in his hometown, Casper. The funeral was at a church across the street from my DD's school and she was in Kindergarten. Phelps and his crazies protested Matt's funeral from the city park across the street from the church adjacent to my DD's school. They had to close the school for the day. There were news satellites from all over the country. It was a zoo. We formed a protective line of people to stand between the Phelps protestors and the family and friends so that they could enter the church without viewing the many signs including: "Matt Shepard is burning in Hell" "God Hates Fags" and more incredibly hateful slogans. These people came back to our town for years afterward on the anniversary of Matt's death until the community decided it would no longer buy into their hate. No one acknowledged them, the press refused to report on or announce their protests, and people passed them by without a word. They even tried to file a suit against the city when they found out there was a 10 commandments statue in a city park. They maintained that since it was a religious monument on city land that they had the right to erect a similar statue that said "Matt Shepard Burns in Hell" with his death date on it in the same park. The city moved the monument to a new walkway that also included the Declaration of Independence and other historical and legal documents and the court ruled it historical and not religious and threw out Phelp's claim.


This being said, I do not believe in a law making it illegal to protest funerals because where then do we draw the line? As much as I detest these "people" and their "message" they have the right to assemble as long as they do so within the law and ordinances. The irony, of course, is that in the case of military funerals, they are protesting the very young people who gave their lives protecting their freedom of speech.



On another note, and for another debate, is my belief in the separation of church and state. If we let religion enter into our legislation it is just possible that people like these could be running our communities...



http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-most ... n-america/



WARNING: Watching this documentary made for BBC will really piss you off!

[milmomma]

This is something that I just don't understand. Why on earth would you protest a military funeral. They are fighting for your freedom to say what you want, but you chose to express yourself at a funeral? Any funeral is a bad place to protest. I wonder why these people don't have any values and morals. I too am waiting for when they protest the wrong person's funeral and things break out. I know if they personally protested anyone that I know, my family/friends would not sit back and let it happen. I have no respect for people like this. If people had morals/values/respect/common sense we wouldn't have so many stupid laws.

[imwickedwitch]

This is something that I just don't understand. Why on earth would you protest a military funeral. They are fighting for your freedom to say what you want, but you chose to express yourself at a funeral? Any funeral is a bad place to protest. I wonder why these people don't have any values and morals. I too am waiting for when they protest the wrong person's funeral and things break out. I know if they personally protested anyone that I know, my family/friends would not sit back and let it happen. I have no respect for people like this. If people had morals/values/respect/common sense we wouldn't have so many stupid laws.

The problem is that they enjoy being hated and would see it as further confirmation that they are serving God and you are going to hell. As tempting as it is to beat them to a pulp, not acknowledging them is more effective at least in my experience with them. I'd much rather they be open and in our faces than covert and run for city council and then start influencing public policy.

[JeanG]

I have never understood why protesting at funerals started and why they can't be stopped. If protestors at other rallies can be arrested, why can't these horribly nasty people be, too? I think Phelps himself will be burning in hell for all the pain he's caused at funerals.


Becky, I think it was great you & others made a human line for the protestors to be unable to cross at Matt Shepherd's funeral. I have been totally horrified by his story and the stories of others gay people. It's totally unchristian - yet it's perpetrated by those claiming they ARE Christians.

[gonecamping]

I heard on the radio there is a group called the Patriot Gaurd. They are a motorcycle group. THey go around to the funerals of the fallen soldiers and surround the family, the hearse ect. with huge American flags so the protesters can't see them. When the protesters start chanting they start up their engines and rev them so the family can't hear the protesters. I think that is awesome!

[RitaS]

It's a sad world when a law has to be passed to prevent incidents such as this- common decency and compassion is apparently lost.

[anazelia]

I agree with everyone else. There is a time and a place to protest, and I have been to a few. And a funeral regardless of whose funeral it is- a military funeral, a young homosexual who was brutally murdered, etc, is not the time to protest. Regardless of whether you disagree with how the person lived their life, a funeral is not the place to voice your opinion.

[MOM2SNOX]

I heard on the radio there is a group called the Patriot Gaurd. They are a motorcycle group. THey go around to the funerals of the fallen soldiers and surround the family, the hearse ect. with huge American flags so the protesters can't see them. When the protesters start chanting they start up their engines and rev them so the family can't hear the protesters. I think that is awesome!

Yep, there are several members here in B-Town that are affiliated with The Patriot Guards. I joined their website but have yet to actually participate in any of their events.. probably cuz I don't know how to ride a BIG GIRL bike! :P

[grifscap]

I a big on freedom of speech myself but your right there is a time and place. Just not sure about a law. It seems to me we a losing more and more of our rights.

[MarthaT]

Sounds like a great law

[Flasher]

I heard on the radio there is a group called the Patriot Gaurd. They are a motorcycle group. THey go around to the funerals of the fallen soldiers and surround the family, the hearse ect. with huge American flags so the protesters can't see them. When the protesters start chanting they start up their engines and rev them so the family can't hear the protesters. I think that is awesome!

Here in Ohio, too! There are a couple of groups who have already made it known that they are ready to help if necessary. One of them has "rolling billboards" which will travel on each side of the funeral procession so that protestors cannot see. The have also said they would enlist sound systems to drown out protestors.